For years, Vegas winger Mitch Marner's playoff scoring was a big topic of discussion in his NHL career. Before the 2026 season, Marner had scored only 13 goals in 70 playoff games, which invited heavy criticism. This year, he has changed that narrative.

As NHL insider Chris Johnston noted, Marner entered the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs with 13 career postseason goals. But now, he has already scored nine in 19 games.

His latest performance may have been the biggest example of that turnaround.

The 29-year-old delivered a historic performance in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. Marner scored a natural hat trick in the Vegas Golden Knights’ 5-4 double-overtime win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

The winger delivered three goals in just 6 minutes and 10 seconds during the second period. This is the fastest hat trick in Stanley Cup Final history, breaking a record held by NHL legend Maurice Richard since 1955.

He also added an assist in the same period, becoming the first player in NHL history to record four points in one period of a Stanley Cup Final game. In a post-match interview, Marner gave credit to his linemates instead of focusing on his own achievement.

“I thought we did a really good job of advancing pucks, winning battles down low, making plays,” Marner said, per NHL.com. “I got put in good areas by my teammates, and I was happy enough to finish them off.”

The performance underscored how important Mitch Marner has been during the playoffs, helping the Vegas Golden Knights move within two wins of another championship.

Historic Playoff Run Continues for Vegas Star

Mitch Marner’s strong playoff run goes far beyond one game. He currently leads all playoff scorers with 28 points, including 10 goals and 18 assists, while helping the Golden Knights take a 2-1 series lead over the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final.

Vegas won Game 1 with a 5-4 scoreline, only to suffer a 4-3 overtime loss in Game 2. Marner and his men then roared to another 5-4 double overtime thriller in Game 3.

Since each game has been decided by one goal, Marner’s offensive production has become even more important.

Mitch Marner’s 28 playoff points are the most ever scored by a Vegas Golden Knights player in a single postseason. It is also the highest playoff point total by a player in his first season with a franchise.

After joining Vegas from the Toronto Maple Leafs last summer, Marner has quickly become a key part of the team’s push for the Stanley Cup. Teammate Jack Eichel praised Marner’s impact after Game 3.

“He’s been doing it all playoffs for us,” Eichel said. “He’s on another level right now.”

With 738 regular-season games and 821 career points already on his record, Marner has built an impressive NHL career. However, this playoff run may be remembered as the moment he finally changed how people view his postseason performance.

Can Mitch Marner maintain his remarkable playoff form and lead Vegas to the Stanley Cup?

Read more at the NHL Fan Central.

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Sijo Paul